Wellness Center Proposal Sparks Controversy Among High School Students

This article was submitted by Scarsdale high School freshman Carly Glickenhaus: Every year at this time there is a whirlwind of news about the efforts of the Board of Education to appease many constituencies while formulating the following year's budget. It seems to me that our village aims towards perfection and seeks to uphold its reputation by constantly improving. Every year we take another step towards the city we strive to be. This year is no different as Scarsdaleʼs proposed next step is a new, $975,000 "Wellness Center" at the High School.

SHS currently has a fitness center located off the main hallway that leads to the athletic wing, the site of the gyms and locker rooms. Because of its obscure and somewhat hidden location, the fitness center is neither well-known nor widely used, except by Raiders teams and a handful of individual athletes. Its use is not well advertised nor promoted in physical education classes. In fact, some students were completely unaware of its existence. In a small random poll of SHS students, 44% said they have not used the current fitness center and are not interested in using a new one. Therefore one could ask, if the current fitness center is barely used, why do we need a new one?

The proposal to build the new Wellness Center is controversial because while some are excited to see a new training center for Scarsdale athletes and are willing to fund it, others believe that the existing fitness center is adequate and argue that the proposed 4.78% tax increase is excessive. Each May, taxpayers are forced to question how deeply they are willing to dig into their pockets and for what purposes they want to see their hard-earned money used. Many residents believe that there are wiser ways the school system could use tax revenue. If the Board of Education is willing to build a Wellness Center, why not an indoor pool at the school? Can the funds be spent to build facilities that can be enjoyed by a larger portion of the community? Others proposed using the funds for new language programs, new clubs and intramural programs, more field trips, smaller class sizes with more teachers, more computers, a larger cafeteria, a quiet common area, and a larger library. To many, these things are a higher priority and should be a primary focus in future years.

Proponents for the Wellness Center contend that it will be used by Raiders athletes and non-athletes alike. In their view, the current fitness center is relatively small. A large, new facility, in a different location, would attract more students and females as well as the males who now dominate the fitness room. They argue that students would use the new Wellness Center because a state-of-the-art, fresh, new space is always more appealing than an old, uncomfortable one.

On May 21 taxpayers, not students, will vote on the proposed budget. However, it is the students for whom the decision is being made and their opinions are extremely significant. When surveyed in the informal poll, 42% of students favored the new Wellness Center and if this percentage is applied to the entire student body it indicates that 670 out of the 1,600 students would try the Wellness Center. Only 14% of those surveyed find the current fitness center sufficient and believe a new Wellness Center is unnecessary.

In speaking to SHS students some mentioned that the school already has three full-size gymnasiums, Dean field, Butler turf, and a quarter mile track, all in impeccable condition. The school is fortunate to have these resources, which rival comparable districts. Whether or not the expenditure is necessary or wise at this time will ultimately be decided by the voters in May. From my survey and discussions with the student body I can conclude that opinion on the Wellness Center is divided, leaving the matter up to the parents to decide.

Carly Glickenhaus is a freshman at SHS, a soccer player, diver, and a distance runner on the Raiders Track & Field team. She also enjoys writing and photography.